My high school influenced me to be both a surface and deep learner. The learning style I displayed varied from class to class. Mostly, it depended on the material I was learning and who was presenting it. For example, I consistently showed interest in Spanish classes regardless of the teacher. Aside from Spanish, my interest was mostly shown in the classes stringing from the math and sciences department. However, classes such as English would cause me to settle with being a surface learner if I didn’t have a professor that made learning enjoyable. In high school, it was acceptable to settle as a surface learner in any class. As long as I paid minimal attention in class and handed in all of my homework (not even always on time), it was enough to pass with exceptionally high grades.
One teacher that particularly influenced me to be a deep learner was my AP Spanish teacher, Señor Ramey. He succeeded in not only teaching me a language that I loved to learn, but also all the way he showed me real world applications of what I was learning. For example, since I didn’t particularly enjoy reading about Macbeth in English class, I wasn’t motivated to be a deep learner. However, even when I reached the boring literature in Spanish I was motivated to try my best to understand it because I knew how beneficial a complete understanding of the language actually was. Sr. Ramey would constantly bring up the example of his daughter acquiring a job that she otherwise wouldn't have if she hadn't been bilingual.
One extracurricular activity that shaped my goals was my school's CyberPatriot (cyber defense) team. While I enjoyed learning the different aspects of cyber security, I was inspired to pursue a career in computer science. During the year I spent on the team my career path was not only selected but I also vastly improved upon my computer skills. The CyberPatriot team has already helped me by giving me experience in an environment that would’ve been otherwise unfamiliar. By giving me the goal to pursue a career in computer science and improving my abilities in the field, this extracurricular activity has improved my outlook for the future.
My most influential coach during high school was my soccer coach, Coach Oliveria. He taught me to persevere even though I struggled during the beginning of the season. I hadn’t played soccer since I was in early middle school, and with his excellent coaching skills he made the jump to varsity nearly eight years later possible. As a coach, he made both playing and learning the game enjoyable. At the end of the day, he (re)taught me that with hard work comes success, which is a lesson that will undoubtedly stick with me throughout the future.
Overall, my ability to process and learn from lessons was much better in high school than it was in middle school. That being said, I believe that my high school influences will have a larger impact on me in the future.
My high school influenced me to be both a surface and deep learner. The learning style I displayed varied from class to class. Mostly, it depended on the material I was learning and who was presenting it. For example, I consistently showed interest in Spanish classes regardless of the teacher. Aside from Spanish, my interest was mostly shown in the classes stringing from the math and sciences department. However, classes such as English would cause me to settle with being a surface learner if I didn’t have a professor that made learning enjoyable. In high school, it was acceptable to settle as a surface learner in any class. As long as I paid minimal attention in class and handed in all of my homework (not even always on time), it was enough to pass with exceptionally high grades.
One teacher that particularly influenced me to be a deep learner was my AP Spanish teacher, Señor Ramey. He succeeded in not only teaching me a language that I loved to learn, but also all the way he showed me real world applications of what I was learning. For example, since I didn’t particularly enjoy reading about Macbeth in English class, I wasn’t motivated to be a deep learner. However, even when I reached the boring literature in Spanish I was motivated to try my best to understand it because I knew how beneficial a complete understanding of the language actually was. Sr. Ramey would constantly bring up the example of his daughter acquiring a job that she otherwise wouldn't have if she hadn't been bilingual.
One extracurricular activity that shaped my goals was my school's CyberPatriot (cyber defense) team. While I enjoyed learning the different aspects of cyber security, I was inspired to pursue a career in computer science. During the year I spent on the team my career path was not only selected but I also vastly improved upon my computer skills. The CyberPatriot team has already helped me by giving me experience in an environment that would’ve been otherwise unfamiliar. By giving me the goal to pursue a career in computer science and improving my abilities in the field, this extracurricular activity has improved my outlook for the future.
My most influential coach during high school was my soccer coach, Coach Oliveria. He taught me to persevere even though I struggled during the beginning of the season. I hadn’t played soccer since I was in early middle school, and with his excellent coaching skills he made the jump to varsity nearly eight years later possible. As a coach, he made both playing and learning the game enjoyable. At the end of the day, he (re)taught me that with hard work comes success, which is a lesson that will undoubtedly stick with me throughout the future.
Overall, my ability to process and learn from lessons was much better in high school than it was in middle school. That being said, I believe that my high school influences will have a larger impact on me in the future.